Find the best car rental deals
Compare trusted brands: Alamo · AVIS · Budget · Hertz · National · Sixt
April is a sweet spot for car rentals — spring break crowds thin out after the 15th and daily rates drop 15–25% compared to March. Book direct with Enterprise or National for the best rates on one-way rentals (Hertz charges $200+ drop fees). If you're road-tripping the Pacific Coast Highway, reserve 3 weeks out — convertibles sell out fast in April. One trick we use: rent from city locations instead of airport counters to skip the 10–15% airport surcharge.
Classic American road trips
Fuel costs based on $3.40/gallon average, April 2026
NYC → Vermont
Fall foliage, covered bridges, artisan cheese trail
LA → San Francisco
Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, Hearst Castle
Miami → Key West
Overseas Highway, Seven Mile Bridge, island hopping
Denver → Moab
Arches National Park, Canyonlands, red rock desert
Seattle → Portland
Craft breweries, Mt. Rainier detour, Columbia Gorge
Chicago → Nashville
Live music, BBQ trail, bourbon distilleries
NYC → Vermont
Fall foliage, covered bridges, artisan cheese trail
LA → San Francisco
Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, Hearst Castle
Miami → Key West
Overseas Highway, Seven Mile Bridge, island hopping
Denver → Moab
Arches National Park, Canyonlands, red rock desert
Seattle → Portland
Craft breweries, Mt. Rainier detour, Columbia Gorge
Chicago → Nashville
Live music, BBQ trail, bourbon distilleries
Popular pickup cities
Los Angeles
LAX airport
Economy, SUV, Convertible
from $29/day
Miami
MIA airport
Economy, Convertible, Luxury
from $26/day
Las Vegas
LAS airport
Economy, SUV, Sports
from $22/day
Orlando
MCO airport
Economy, Minivan, SUV
from $24/day
Denver
DEN airport
Economy, SUV, 4WD
from $31/day
San Francisco
SFO airport
Economy, Compact, SUV
from $33/day
Prices checked April 2026 via GetRentacar · Economy class, 7-day rental
Do you actually need rental insurance?
Most Americans don’t need the rental company’s insurance. Here’s why.
Collision/theft only (CDW). No liability, no personal injury. Must decline rental company's CDW to activate.
Free (built into most Visa Signature, Amex Platinum, Chase Sapphire cards)
Best option for most Americans. Check your card benefits before you rent — 68% of premium cardholders don't know they have this.
Credit card coverage
Collision damage waiver + loss damage waiver. Covers the rental car only. Doesn't cover your liability or medical.
$15–$35/day (adds $105–$245 to a week-long rental)
Overpriced if your credit card already covers it. The counter upsell is aggressive — know your coverage before you arrive.
Rental company CDW/LDW
Full CDW + liability + personal accident. Standalone policy, works worldwide.
$8–$12/day (40–60% cheaper than rental company)
Smart choice if your credit card doesn't cover rentals or you're driving internationally. Bonzah starts at $8/day with $0 deductible.
Third-party insurance (e.g., Bonzah, Allianz)
Call your credit card company before your trip and ask: “Does my card include rental car CDW coverage in [country]?” Get it in writing. The rental counter will pressure you — having confirmation saves the argument.
Which car do you actually need?
Economy
$22–$35/dayBest for: City trips, solo travelers, airport runs
A Toyota Corolla or Nissan Versa. Fine for 2 people with luggage. Don't expect trunk space for more.
Compact SUV
$35–$55/dayBest for: Small families, light off-road, winter trips
The sweet spot. A RAV4 or CR-V handles highway and light snow. Best value per dollar for most trips.
Full-size SUV
$55–$90/dayBest for: Families of 5+, road trips with gear, mountain access
Tahoe, Explorer, or similar. Only worth it if you genuinely need the space — 60% more than a compact SUV.
Luxury
$90–$200/dayBest for: Business trips, special occasions, comfort on long drives
BMW 5 Series or Mercedes E-Class territory. Check Turo for luxury — often 20–30% cheaper than Hertz Prestige.
Minivan
$55–$80/dayBest for: Families with kids, group airport transfers, road trips with lots of luggage
A Chrysler Pacifica or Sienna. Book at least 2 weeks ahead — minivans are the first class to sell out at MCO and LAX.
Driving abroad? Read this first
International Driving Permit (IDP)
Required in Japan, Italy, Greece, Austria, and most of Southeast Asia. Get one from AAA for $20 — takes 15 minutes in person, or order online. Valid 1 year. Your US license alone won't cut it in 30+ countries.
Driving side and roundabouts
UK, Australia, Japan, India, and 73 other countries drive on the left. Roundabouts are standard in Europe — yield to traffic already in the circle. Practice in a parking lot before hitting the motorway.
Toll systems vary wildly
Italy's Autostrada uses physical toll booths (Telepass for fast lanes). France has péage. UK has ULEZ and congestion charges in London (£15/day). Portugal and Ireland use electronic-only tolls — register online before driving.
Fuel types matter
In Europe, "petrol" is gasoline and "diesel" is clearly labeled. Misfueling destroys the engine — rental companies charge $3,000–$8,000 for engine replacement. In the US, unleaded 87 octane is standard; most rentals take regular.
Parking is expensive and confusing abroad
Central Paris charges €4–6/hour. Tokyo garages charge ¥300–600/15 min ($8–16/hour). Many European cities have resident-only zones with automatic cameras. Always park in marked spaces — towing fees start at $200.
US road trips vs international rentals
US road trips
- US license is all you need in all 50 states, no IDP required
- Insurance from your personal auto policy usually extends to rental cars
- Credit card CDW coverage works at all major US rental chains
- Fuel is $3.20–$4.50/gallon depending on state — always cheaper than Europe
- One-way rentals are common and affordable ($50–$150 drop fee)
- Age 21+ can rent everywhere; under 25 pays a $20–$30/day surcharge
International rentals
- IDP required in 30+ countries even if they accept US licenses at some counters
- US auto insurance does NOT cover international rentals — buy standalone coverage
- Credit card CDW may exclude certain countries (Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Australia)
- Fuel in Europe averages $6–$8/gallon; budget 2–3x what you'd spend in the US
- Manual transmission is default abroad — request automatic early (20–30% more expensive)
- Minimum age is 21–25 in most countries; young driver surcharge applies under 25
Need a transfer instead?
Pre-booked airport pickups and intercity transfers
Welcome Pickups
Pre-booked airport pickups with English-speaking drivers. Fixed prices, flight tracking, meet-and-greet at arrivals. Active in 60+ airports worldwide including LAX, JFK, MIA, ORD, and most European hubs.
Compare Welcome Pickups pricesKiwitaxi
Private transfers between airports, hotels, and cities. Covers 150+ countries with 300,000+ routes. Pre-paid with free cancellation up to 24 hours. Prices from $15 for short airport runs.
Compare Kiwitaxi pricesGetTransfer
Marketplace connecting riders with local transport providers. Bid-based pricing often beats fixed-rate services by 20–40%. Available in 180+ countries. Best for group transfers and intercity routes.
Compare GetTransfer pricesDon’t forget before you drive
Frequently asked questions
Yes, in 30+ countries including Japan, Italy, Greece, and most of Southeast Asia. Get one from AAA for $20 — it takes 15 minutes in person. Some countries technically accept US licenses but police and rental desks may still ask for an IDP. Carry both.
Probably not if you have a premium credit card. Most Visa Signature, Amex Platinum, and Chase Sapphire cards include collision damage waiver (CDW) for free. Just decline the rental company's coverage. But verify your card's policy first — some exclude SUVs, luxury cars, or specific countries.
We use GetRentacar for price comparison across major chains (Hertz, Enterprise, National, Budget, Sixt). Google "car rental [city]" to check direct pricing too — sometimes booking direct with Enterprise or National beats aggregators by 5–10%, especially for loyalty members.
US domestic one-way fees range from $50–$200 depending on distance and company. Enterprise and National have the lowest drop fees. Cross-border one-way (US to Canada) costs $200–$500 extra. International one-way between countries is often not allowed or extremely expensive ($500+).
City locations are almost always cheaper — airports charge a 10–15% concession fee that gets passed to you. A $40/day rental at LAX might be $34/day from the Westchester Blvd location 5 minutes away. The exception: some airport-only deals exist during off-peak season.
We redirect you to GetRentacar, which searches across major rental companies including Hertz, Enterprise, National, Budget, Avis, and Sixt. You book directly with the rental company at the advertised price. Mubboo earns a commission from GetRentacar — it doesn't cost you anything extra.
Mubboo Editorial Team
Updated April 2026
Car rental prices via GetRentacar (Hertz, Enterprise, National, Budget, Sixt, Avis). Prices are daily rates in USD and vary by dates and location. Transfer prices via Welcome Pickups, Kiwitaxi, and GetTransfer. Fuel prices based on AAA national average, April 2026. Affiliate disclosure: Some links earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.